Lavaca Students Experience Hands-On Science Day At UAFS

Lavaca Students Experience Hands-On Science Day At UAFS

Rachel Rodemann • Times Record / Lavaca eighth-graders Garrett Eck, left, and Hunter Hobbs work to solve a puzzle using only guidance from a pair of students under the table Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, to demonstrate the importance of exact instructions when programming computers, during a seminar at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith buzzed with excitement Thursday as 60 Lavaca eighth-graders spent the day learning about the wonders of applied sciences.

Early in the school year, Karen Grady, science teacher at Lavaca Middle School, received an outreach document from Jennifer Jennings Davis, director of the Western Arkansas Educational Renewal Zone at UAFS. Grady then began planning ways she could use the program to help her students.

“I wanted to bring in guest speakers to talk to my kids and help them with real world connections,” explained Grady, “so I contacted Jennifer.”

As the two talked and planned potential visitors to the rural school, Grady proposed a grand idea. “From our conversations and (Jennings Davis) reaching out to all the departments … we were able to put together a whole day, when most of my students have never even been on a college campus.”

“This is the mission of my program,” Jennings Davis said. “Our purpose is to provide outreach and bridge resources from the universities to our area schools who are members of our partnership.”

“We want them to see what all is out there, getting them out, letting them see there’s a reason we have the standards we’re teaching in the classroom, there’s a reason we’re doing project-based learning. … We want them to put their hands on it and really develop an understanding and not be afraid to ask a professional questions.”

Starting Thursday morning, the eighth-grade students put their hands on a nearly dozen scientific careers, ranging from electronics and welding to field biology and robotic, even experimenting in animation and computer sciences.

“One of the coolest things we’ve seen today is that … we all sat and watched them at lunch, and they didn’t have their cellphones out,” said Grady. “They were all talking nonstop about what they did in the morning. There was not a game, one, played, they weren’t on their music, they were talking all during lunch, even on bathroom breaks they’re talking about what they’re seeing here and to see them that engaged, that is the purpose.”

“And getting them excited about the sciences,” said Jennings Davis. “A lot of what they’re doing in class could become a career.”

Student Ryan Dockery said the day prepared them for college and “real-life situations.”

“In there he’s telling us, ‘Take the advanced classes, don’t just take the easy classes, don’t try to make it out easily, because you’re just not going to be prepared,’” said Dockery, 15. “I learned a lot today about this college and what it has to offer. “